


Belief

by OccupationLove



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Crush, First Date, Fluff, M/M, Soulmates, Tumblr Prompt, adorKable boys, flustered boys, it's not a soulmate au, looking for someone to cure loneliness, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 06:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15430653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccupationLove/pseuds/OccupationLove
Summary: Alfred didn't believe in a lot of things and there were so many things that he was unsure were real. And yet, with Ludwig, it seemed like maybe he should've believed.





	Belief

There were thousands of things that Alfred was skeptical about. He was skeptical that humankind knew what was best for them, he was skeptical that there was mercy in living so long, he was completely and utterly unsure about whether he’d ever lose that weight he’d put on. He didn’t believe in fate or destiny or any kind of predestination; but, he had never been more certain in his life that soulmates were a very real thing.

His entire life--a long time, mind you-- had been filled with trysts. One-night stands and kisses that meant absolutely nothing. He had always been on the search for something fun or pleasurable, a new high, a new mountain to climb; but, now, he had been without that constant search for more than a year.

He had expected this to end terribly, of course, just like all the older nations had warned. But, he had gone for it anyway. Perhaps he had only been trying to irritate Arthur. Or maybe he had been tired of being alone all the time; so, he had brought him flowers, left them in his seat at the world meeting. He had watched as Germany had turned pink and quickly tried to hide the delicate petals from anyone’s view. Ludwig had looked around, obviously bewildered, and Alfred had stood in the doorway too amused for anyone’s good.

It had taken him months of almost teasing, somewhat serious, secret flirting for him to actually approach Ludwig and decide to say something directly to him. He had expected to be able to stroll right up to the other man and have compliments and confidence roll off his tongue. Instead, the closer he had stepped to the object of his affection the faster his heart had beat. He had stumbled over his words and only managed to get out that he thought Ludwig’s eyes were pretty. Actually, he hadn’t noticed how stunning those baby blues were until right then when they locked eyes.

Ludwig had looked confused and had tilted his head slightly to the side--it was adorable. Alfred thought his heart had stopped when he spoke.

“Ah, thank you? Are you okay?”

Alfred had nodded, swallowed the lump in his throat and excused himself from the conversation. He heard Ludwig ask Arthur what had been wrong as he left the room.

It was odd, he thought, that he could be so easily destabilized by something that he started on his own. It had been him who had placed those flowers in Ludwig’s chair. It had been Alfred who had decided to pursue this; he hadn’t intended to fall so deep. Slightly more than temporary that’s all he had intended to go for originally. Maybe just someone he knew he could go to with personal things if he needed. It hadn’t meant to be truly serious.

He wasn’t supposed to develop these kinds of feelings.

Then again, he should’ve expected this.

He had picked Germany, had he not?

Why had he picked Ludwig?

He couldn’t really recall. Realistically, something as casual as he intended would have never worked with Lud; he knew that. Yet--without thought, it seemed--he had chosen to pursue one of the most serious, steadfast, and solid countries in the world. He had no reasonable explanation for his own actions besides that he was simply supposed to make that choice. Which, you know, went against everything he believed.

He had to have been drawn to Ludwig before, he had to have had these emotions before.

Except that he remembered very vividly starting this just because it interested him.

He ended up trying to ignore himself.

He tried to ignore that he kept getting distracted watching Ludwig move. He got lost in the oceans of Ludwig’s eyes and tried to pretend that he was lost in thought instead. He tried not to think about how soft his hair looked. Tried not to imagine the blush on his cheeks if he kissed him.

He tried not to think about how utterly perfect Lud was.

He failed.

He ended up stumbling over his words as he asked the other country to go to the movies with him. And he ended up with his heart in his stomach when he was told no. It was wrong, in his opinion, all wrong that he decided to try all this.

He should’ve listened to Arthur.

Then, Ludwig had cleared his throat and shoved away his anxieties in two sentences.

“I think it might be easier to go to dinner. I am not...particularly fond of most movies.”

Alfred couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across his face. The shy smile Ludwig flashed back at him sent his heart stuttering.

* * *

 

They met up at a Japanese restaurant in the middle of New York and Alfred watched as his date fumbled with his chopsticks, endearingly nervous. He smiled and tapped Ludwig’s hand to get his attention. Baby blues snapped up to his face, somewhat alarmed at the contact. He laughed and demonstrated how to hold the foreign utensils. Ludwig adjusted his hand and nodded before attempting to eat and still failing.

Alfred laughed and shook his head, “Maybe you should use western stuff until you get the hang of this.”

Lud’s cheeks turned light pink as he gently set down the chopsticks and picked up a fork, “I would’ve figured it out eventually.”

Al grinned, “But why do that when you can pay attention to me.”

He didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone’s face burn so darkly before but Lud was really going to have to stop being so excruciatingly cute if Alfred was going to make it out of their date alive. Of course, that was asking the impossible and he knew that well before he had even asked Lud to the movies. He was done for, a real goner, never had an option to escape but then again, maybe he didn’t want to? This wasn’t turning out so bad, after all.

Arthur didn’t know what he was talking about. 

Their date went surprisingly smoothly for how out of the ordinary it was. It was odd how easily the conversations seemed to be flowing and it was heart-stopping how openly Ludwig had smiled at him just then. It shouldn't have been so perfect and different and completely outside of Alfred's norm. He had never thought about kissing someone at the doorstep and leaving. Or rather, he had never thought it was a possibility for  _him_ to do something so wistful and romantic and utterly perfect. Still, when he planted the kiss on Lud's cheek just outside his hotel door, he thought that the world couldn't get any better for him.

It was like there was nothing to worry about or stress over. There was no weight to lose and no concern over the world around him. For just a moment he wondered if maybe there was some sort of mercy in living so long if it meant he got to spend that time with Lud. 

He felt like he could fly.

And that was only their first date. 

* * *

 

“What’re you thinking about?”  
  
Al ran his fingers through Ludwig’s hair and shifted his leg so that his head would be a little more comfortable in his lap, “Our first date.”

“That was ages ago, what made you think of it?”

Alfred looked at the ceiling and tried to think back to how he had gotten on the topic in the first place. Oh. He knew he was blushing when he smiled back down at his boyfriend, “Nothing. I just think you’re my soulmate is all.”

Ludwig’s mouth opened just slightly in shock, “I thought you didn’t believe in stuff like that.”

He shook his head, “I don’t.”

_But with you anything is possible_


End file.
